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Ready to start your work experience/internship? Watch this video and review these slides to get you started!
Do you have an IEP? You may be eligible for a paid internship through the Workability Program if you have an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). Please reach out to Lori Schleinkofer, the Coordinator for the Workability Program and the We Can Work program, if you have an IEP or a 504 to see if you are eligible for paid work experience to fulfill your required work hours for the academy.
WorkAbility/We Can Work Program is open to students with IEPs and 504s. Check out this website for all the deails.
LoriSchleinkofer@burbankusd.org
We are currently replacing the term internship with work experience. Students only need valuable work experience, but it does not have to be called an internship.
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FAQs About the Required NAF Work Experience/Internship
When should I start my work experience/internship? Wait until the summer after your sophomore year or the start of your junior year to begin your work experience/internship. Most students do their work experience/internship during the summer between junior and senior year. Review these slides to help you prepare for the experience.
How many hours do I need to complete the work experience/internship assignment?
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You need a total of 80 hours and hours may be paid or unpaid.
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You may either complete 80 hours at 1 location or 40 hours at 2 locations.
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You may use your current part-time job to satisfy this assignment.
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You may do more than the required hours. You just need to meet the minimum required hours.
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You may NOT work a few hours in a bunch of different places.
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You may NOT use the same hours for service learning and your required NAF hours.
Do I need to get paid or can I volunteer? You may earn your hours through a paid or volunteer position.
Do I need a work permit? Yes, you need a work permit if you are hired and will be paid! Check out this information to get the process started.
Do my service hours count for the internship? NO! (However, it is possible that you volunteer for more hours at your service hour location. The easiest way to explain is that you cannot “double dip” and use your service hours towards your service hour medal AND your internship. That would mean that you were completing the hours for a requirement and NOT volunteering. For example, if you are required to complete 80 internship hours and want to get the 100 hour service medal, you’d need to complete 180 hours at your volunteer location. You would be earning your 100 volunteer hours and your 80 internship hours.)
My family has a business. Can I work for them? The short answer is yes, BUT you need to meet a few requirements. You need to be treated as a regular employee and your supervisor cannot be a relative. You should be paid either minimum wage or a final stipend of $575.
What if my internship has ended and I forgot to get the supervisor evaluation? GO GET IT NOW! The NAF Supervisor Assessment is REQUIRED by NAF to get NAFTrack Certified. Contact your supervisor by phone or email and set up an appointment to get your evaluation. Discuss the evaluation form and email your supervisor a copy. You’ll find a blank form on our website. They are required to do the first 2 pages, but the third page is optional. Have your supervisor email it back to you so you can post it on your digital portfolio internship page.
How do I prove my hours or if I was paid? You may use this Google Sheet to keep track of your paid or volunteer hours. If you were a volunteer, your supervisor must write a letter on company letterhead to me guaranteeing that you worked the required hours. You may show your supervisor this example letter. You MUST provide either the BUSD form or a letter from your supervisor. We will not accept just the upload of pay stubs.
Where can I work? ALMOST ANYWHERE!!! High school students are pretty young to be able to work in the business, engineering, and medical fields, so your internship experience will mostly focus on your organization, leadership, and teamwork skills. You can work or volunteer just about anywhere. You are not required to work/intern in the same field as your academy theme. Some work is not accepted: house sitting, pet sitting, or baby sitting.
What if I already have a job? Can I use those hours towards the internship? YES! You can keep your job and use that experience to complete all of the reflection assignments for your internship.
How do I know what to put on each page of my portfolio and when I should create each page? Follow this pacing guide and plan to work on most of the requirements OUTSIDE of class time.
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